14 Best Product Photography Equipment

You might think that the best product photography equipment is going to break the bank. And it’s true that you can pay a fortune for gear. But it’s also true that you can start at a reasonable price as well.

The most important piece of your product photography kit is your camera. That’s why the Canon EOS RP is our top recommendation in this review. It’s an entry-level full frame mirrorless camera offering excellent resolution, sophisticated AF, and a compact, lightweight body.

What is the Best Product Photography Equipment?

Our review covers everything from cameras to reflectors. We guide you to the best beginner products, but also show you upgrade options. Wherever possible, it’s best to buy the right product the first time. But perhaps you’re not sure that product photography is your thing. In that case, a cheaper starter product might make sense.

The Best Camera for Product Photography

The camera is the best place to start when thinking about product photography. There’s no point in having the best lighting setup if you have a low-quality camera.

Photographers often use high-resolution cameras to create product photos for posters and billboards. In most cases, it requires using resolutions between 50 to 100 megapixels or more.

Thankfully, you don’t need to have an expensive camera for product photography in the beginning. Why? Because you’re most likely starting with photography for products online.

For online product photos, a 24 MP DSLR or mirrorless camera is more than enough to do the job. It provides you with adequate resolution without having to deal with huge files.

That means you can start product photography even with an entry-level camera! Anything from the Nikon Z30 mirrorless camera or the Canon EOS M6 Mark II will work. Our top pick is the Canon EOS RP. If you want to know more about it, check out our Canon EOS RP review.

The Best Lens for Product Photography

Maybe you’re just starting to choose product photography equipment. If so, using the kit lens that came with your camera will do the job. It may not be the sharpest, but the quality is good enough for online use. It also allows you to zoom in and out. This lets you capture full shots as well as close-ups.

If you’re ready for an upgrade, we recommend that you buy a lens that is compatible with a full frame camera. That way you don’t have to get rid of optics that won’t work with a professional camera body.

The first lens you’ll want is one with a macro function. This allows you to easily photograph the minute details of any product.

There are different types of macro lenses. But we recommend getting either an 85mm or 100mm macro. These options are sharp and don’t cause image distortions. Some other focal lengths can cause distortions.

If you want more bang for your buck, consider buying a zoom lens with a macro function. It combines both a regular zoom lens and a macro lens. You get the best of both worlds.

Not every camera brand offers a zoom lens with macro. But if you’re a Canon user, you’re in luck because you have the EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens. And if you’re a Nikon user, you have the Nikon AF-S FX 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 zoom Lens.

The Best Tripod for Product Photography

You’ll use your tripod a lot when you start doing product photography. It improves image quality and consistency. It ensures your camera angle and composition stay the same throughout the photo shoot.

Eye-level shots are common. But flat lays are also common in product photography. That means you need to get a tripod that allows you to do overhead shots.

Unfortunately, entry-level tripods don’t let you take pictures from above. But you can buy relatively affordable options, such as the Vanguard AltaPro. It has an adjustable central column. This allows you to swivel it horizontally to take overhead shots.

If you have a bigger budget, we recommend the Manfrotto 055 3-section tripod. Apart from the horizontal column, you also get a 3-way head. This allows you to make precise adjustments.

Use a Speedlite for Great Lighting on a Small Budget

Perhaps you want to get the best product photography equipment. But you don’t want to break the bank. Speedlites are your best option for flash. They don’t cost as much as studio strobes. And they are brighter than LED lights.

There are tons of choices when it comes to Speedlites as well. Major brands such as Nikon, Canon, and Sony have their line of Speedlites. But they tend to be expensive.

If you want a low-cost option, you can go with the Neewer Speedlite. It comes with a remote trigger so you can set it off wirelessly. If you have the budget, consider buying the Godox Twin Flash Kit.

It not only comes with a trigger, but it also has two Speedlites. This lets you use the three-light setups that are typical in product photography.

Remember that your Speedlite doesn’t need to be a Canon or a Nikon. You can use any brand as long as it fits your camera’s hot shoe.

Add Some Lighting Stands to Improve Your Product Photography

The light stand is one of the most crucial pieces of product photography equipment on this list.

People use light stands for supporting lighting kits. But did you know that you can also use them to hold all sorts of rigs and reflectors?

Light stands differ in price, mostly depending on the brand and build quality. You can get one for as cheap as 20 dollars. But we recommend that you consider investing in high-quality options. You’ll be using them to hold expensive equipment. You need to make sure they won’t break easily.

We recommend the Neewer heavy-duty light stand. It’s affordable and can hold up to 8 kgs worth of equipment. That’s more than enough to support your flashgun and a light modifier.

Use a Speedlite Bracket to Hold Lighting Modifiers in Place

This essential accessory allows you to install your Speedlite on a light stand. It also has a mount that lets you put on all sorts of lighting modifiers such as umbrellas and softboxes. It’s one of the most useful bits of product photography equipment you can get.

There are different types of Speedlite brackets. We recommend getting one that has a Bowens mount. That way, you can install a wide variety of Bowens-compatible lighting modifiers.

The most dependable Speedlite bracket in our experience is the Godox S-Type bracket. It’s well-made and it securely holds your flash unit in place. Apart from that, it has a mount for both Bowens modifiers as well as studio umbrellas. 

Types of softboxes vary a lot. They all have specific functions depending on the type of product photography you do.

For instance, strip boxes are often better for photographing bottles. Meanwhile, rectangular ones are suitable for general product photography.

We suggest you get the Godox 80 x 120 softbox as you start your product photography business. At 120 centimeters, it’s large enough to let you photograph a larger product. And it has a grid that allows you to stop light from spilling out everywhere.

Of course, there are also other options out there. Some are either smaller or larger than the Godox model we recommend. You can use them as long as they have a Bowens mount.

Achieve Perfect Lighting With Reflectors

Lighting is one of the most crucial elements in product photography. To achieve the perfect lighting setup, you’ll need to use a V-flat. It works in conjunction with your light source.

Its primary function is to reflect light on your subject to create even illumination.

A V-flat is essentially foldable cardboard with two to three surfaces. The first one is white, which you can use to bounce back light and kill the shadows on your product. The second is black, which absorbs light and increases the shadows. Sometimes, there’s a surface made of silver material. You can choose this when you need to reflect more light.

The Meking cardboard reflector is an excellent option for product photography. You can quickly prop it up next to your product without needing support. It’s also compact, so you can carry it around for location shoots. The downside is that it’s too small for oversized objects.

If you want a larger option, you can opt for a 5-in-1 reflector instead. It has five sides that give you different lighting effects.

Apart from the traditional white reflector, you also get gold and silver. Then you have a black surface that you can use as a “flag.” This helps prevent reflections and increases shadows on your subject. In the middle, you have a scrim that softens the light that hits your product.

We recommend the Neewer 5-in-1 reflector. It’s large and it folds down into a small carrying case.

Use an Air Blaster to Remove Specks of Dust From Your Shot

The air blaster is probably one of the most overlooked photography products. Nonetheless, it’s one of the most crucial, in our opinion.

So what is an air blaster? It’s essentially a rubber bulb that blows out a jet of air. You can use it to clean a product without having to touch it at all.

The air blaster is perfect for cleaning products since it doesn’t leave any residue, unlike using microfiber cloths. These can sometimes leave some lint or even smudges on the surface.

There are plenty of options for air blasters and they all work the same. But we recommend the Giottos Air Blaster the most for its durability.

Conclusion: The Best Product Photography Equipment

Collecting the best product photography equipment can be a gradual process. Start with what you have. If your camera is good enough, then a tripod is probably your next best investment. Then think about lighting and reflectors.

Having somewhere with a permanent setup is a real bonus if you have the space. As you get more clients, you’ll have the opportunity to acquire even more tools. 

That’s why the Canon EOS RP is our top recommendation in this review. It’s an entry-level full frame mirrorless camera, but it offers superb lens options as your hobby or business develops.